MAIN Home Life House & Home Moving South Carolina

Bordered by North Carolina to the north, Georgia to the south and west, and by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the state is an burgeoning part of the New South with a growing population attracted to South Carolina's moderate property taxes, low cost of living, and good old-fashioned southern hospitality.

Textiles and cotton were once "king" in South Carolina, but today its economy is a diverse one that includes lumber harvesting from millions of acres of forests, commercial fishing of shrimp and crabs off its Atlantic coast, and inland bumper crops of peaches, pecans, peanuts and sweet potatoes. Other major industries include chemicals, heavy machinery and automobiles.

With affordable housing, low property taxes, and with a general cost of living more than 10% lower than the national average, South Carolina has joined its neighbor to the north as a prime relocation destination among many living along the Atlantic seaboard. The major draw continues to be Charleston, (SC's 'Second City' after Columbia, the state capitol) which regularly makes top ten lists of most livable communities, best business climate, as well as top accolades for art and culture.

Statewide, tourism is another chief industry centering around South Carolina beaches and popular coastal resorts at Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island, as well as historic tours of Columbia and Charleston, and stunning upstate Blue Ridge Mountain vistas in the northwestern part of the state.

South Carolina quality-of-life statistics

Demographics : (South Carolina Census Data)
Major cities: Columbia (capital), Charleston, Greenville
Population : 4,321,249
White : 68.4%
Black, African American : 29.2%
Hispanic : 3.3%
High school graduates : 76.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher : 20.4%
Average household income: $39,454

Cost of Living: Sperling's Best Places - South Carolina - Compared to the rest of the country, South Carolina's cost of living is 12.98% lower than the U.S. average.

Property Taxes : South Carolina Tax Climate - Comparatively modest property tax collection amounts to $882 per capita, ranking South Carolina 33rd highest nationally.

Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - South Carolina Real Estate
Home ownership rate : 72.2%
Average home price : $158,900
Average travel time to work : 24.3 minutes

Personal Income Taxes: South Carolina imposes personal income taxes over six brackets at rates ranging from 3 percent to 7 percent. Residents are required to file state income taxes using Form SC 1040 each year by April 15.

Schools : see South Carolina Department of Education | South Carolina School Report Cards

Weather : Like most of U.S. southern states, South Carolina is uniformly hot and humid during the summer. Temperatures are more variable in winter, from mild along the coast to below freezing further inland and in the upstate Blue Ridge Mountain region.

Crime : see South Carolina Crime Statistics

also see -> South Carolina taxes | South Carolina eviction laws

SC shopping outlets | SC beaches | South Carolina tourism

SC fall foliage | Christmas in South Carolina

South Carolina kids party locations

More about relocating to South Carolina around the Web:

Moving to South Carolina - The official South Carolina government portal with information on demographics and cost of living data, jobs & employment, health care and hospitals.

Moving to South Carolina Tax Guide - Introduction to the state's tax structure with information on income tax and deductions, property taxes, sales and use tax, vehicle registration.

South Carolina City Data Forums - Busy message boards with tips & advice on moving to Charleston, Columbia, the Greenville - Spartanburg area and York & Lancaster counties including information on cost of living, apartments and real estate, property taxes, schools, retirement and related topics.

The City of Columbia - The official site offering facts and information on city history, neighborhoods, area attractions, services, parks & recreation areas, city job listings, related links.

Access Charleston Guide - Extensive guide to information on apartment & real estate brokers, job listings, area grocers and supermarkets, banks, schools, hospitals, churches & houses of worship, area attractions and entertainment.

South Carolina real estate, apartments & job classifieds:

Charleston : Post & Courier
Columbia : The State
Greenville : News